Understanding Another
by Elizabeth Whittaker
Summary: Jerin and Devur have a discussion about a certain member of their party after Jerin fights with Lufia again. Takes place right before Glasdar Tower. Some spoilers.


Understanding Another  
  
By: Elizabeth Whittaker  
  
Email: i_love_zelgadis@yahoo.com  
  
Author's Note: Well, I thought that maybe I should write a Lufia story without Lufia being the main character in it. Here it focuses on Jerin and Devur (the hero that I have so come to name).  
  
When I wrote this, I kind of wondered why Lufia was so protective over Devur and not over Aguro or Jerin. Even when they were in Soshette, she was still acting like Jerin wanted him, which I think she did. But as the game wore on, the petty arguments seemed insignificant compared to trying to understand Lufia.  
  
Also, I wanted to go a little into the characters more. I have gone into Lufia enough with God knows how many fanfictions I did of her. I have not done that with any of the other characters of that game. Another reason I did this was an insight on what might have happened by the near end of the game.  
  
This takes place when the four are going into the cave to Glasdar Tower.  
  
Another note: Devur's family history is unknown and yes, I do believe that Roman could really be Lufia's father. When I get Seeking Redemption done (which I can do now that I have my laptop), it will be explained. I made Devur have a sister and a mother because I do think that they should have gone into his history in the game. There is no way that a 16 year old could not be without his parents. Ok, so there is, but I seriously think that maybe, when they were walking through caves or slept, that maybe he could have talked about his past. Lufia too. After all, they were memories in Alekia she could have had. You knew about Jerin and what happened to her and Aguro was what, twenty-three? So he really did not count in that aspect.  
  
Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, its characters, places and storyline are copyrighted to Tatio.  
  
This story is my own original creation and is fanfiction. All comments, critisms, and other things can be sent to the e-mail above.  
  
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"I really hate this!" Jerin cried. "I hate it! I hate the fact that that girl gets to walk all over me like I'm nothing!" Her golden orbs looked at the redheaded man in front of her and then sighed deeply. "Why do you let her do that to me? Don't you think that I have feelings too, Devur?" She looked around the cave that they were in and then crossed her arms. "I mean- -"  
  
Devur, the redhead that she had been talking to, had sighed as well. "She's my best friend, Jerin. I mean, yes, I know she's jealous of you . . . "  
  
"Jealous?" The word struck her as something of an atrocity. "More like competition, my little friend. The things she does behind your back are nothing . . . but what she does to me would make another woman stop wanting to try to get you and leave you to her. Not that I am . . . " She looked at her hands, which were bleached purple. It was the other woman's latest prank that she had did, by slipping some sort of purple dye in the water that she was washing her hands with. Now the dye would not come off. "I mean, I know you like her and all, but enough's enough. You have to draw the line and make her have some discipline."  
  
At that, he laughed, blue eyes trying to see if their other two friends were about. "That's a good one. Lufia with discipline." Stopping for a moment to take a breath in between his laughter, he then said, "You know, I don't think anyone really has disciplined her. Then again, we never knew where she was from. She just wandered into our town when she was a young child and has stayed there since. Like she knew that she never really had anyone. So really, I think she's trying to protect me, in an offhandish sort of way."  
  
"Why would she want to protect you when she's too busy taking care of wanting you?" The question came out as a dark mutter from the half-elf as she spoke. "You know, if I were you, I'd ditch the girl. She's nothing but trouble." At that, she nodded her head, as if to reassure herself.  
  
But when she saw Devur shake his head, Jerin knew that this was going to be a long argument.  
  
"Let me tell you a story, Jerin. It's kind of long, but it might help you understand Lufia better. And if it does, then I have done my purpose."  
  
A sigh came from her. "You humans sure love stories, don't you?" She crossed her legs, the long elfish dress that she was wearing riding up her legs. She put a hand at the end of the material and pulled it down softly so that she would not be uncomfortable. "Fine, I'll listen, if that will help you." Looking for the other two, she then said, "And make it quick. I get the feeling Aguro and Lufia will be back soon."  
  
"They're too busy arguing to really care about us," Devur muttered. "He's so fixated that she's the Sinistral of Death that I think he's going to tell her." But he waved a hand and sat down on the ground of what was the cave to Glasdar Tower. "Sit. It'll take some time to tell."  
  
Jerin sat, moving the long blonde bangs from her eyes. "You going to tell me or what?"  
  
Devur nodded, blinking his brilliant blue eyes at her. As he took a deep breath, he cracked his knuckles against his chainmail armor and then began.  
  
I remember when I was a young boy, having that dream that I would be something one day. I know everyone has that dream, because without it, we really would not push ourselves to strive to be our best everyday. And I knew that I had a near to impossible dream, because the Knights in the village were the most laziest people in the whole town. It seemed that only I took it seriously.  
  
I had this dream since I was six years old. Even then, I went to the caves that connected with the town of Sheran and fought the spiders that were there. I always had a sense of adventure. But I could tell you the day I met Lufia and still have that same awe about it that I had then.  
  
Anyway, the other girls did not like her at first. None of us really stayed around her but me. So I grew to understand her and even, in my own little way, like her. But no one else did, except for Roman. He was the one that took her in and he had a way of making her listen to him that no one else could do.  
  
For years, she was like this. Wild, untamable and aloof. Often she would go into where there were flowers and stay there for hours, growing things, or go out into the woods and just explore, wrestling with a wolf or a snake and then make friends with it. She was a very . . . different person then. Never really understanding of others. At least, that was what I believed.  
  
But one night I came into the inn where Roman worked and stayed at and saw the two talking. I usually did not stay for their conversations, but rather waited outside. This was instilled in me when I was a child and my mother made me do that until she was done scolding my sister. But it was the middle of winter and I was cold. Mother had just died and so did my sister from a terrible illiness and I had been staying there with them for a while. I was about to just go about my business when I heard her say something.  
  
"But you know the other knights are stupid, Papa. They really don't know what they're doing. You know Devur wants to make it different. He could be the one who makes it different. Like he made it different for me."  
  
At that I stopped. I was now a boy of ten years and I was just shocked. She had not treated me any different then the way she treated the other people in the village, and yet she was now telling Roman in confidence that I had made a change. This plucked my curiosity and I stayed there, listening.  
  
"Well, you don't seem to let him know that. He's quite frustrated with you when you get angry and lash out at him, you know."  
  
That much was true. She had a way of yelling at someone when she was mad, even if she was not mad at them.  
  
"Well, I can't treat him differently. Otherwise they'll pick on me! You know how bullies are."  
  
I turned my head to look at her and she had looked like she was afraid. You know Lufia really is not a fearful person, but right then, she looked like she was afraid. I wanted to just reach out and ask why she was, but that would have given me away. So I stayed there, just uncomprehending the fearful look.  
  
"Maybe they'll realize that once you treat him like he's a friend, then they'll treat you better. Treating everyone like they don't mean anything is not going to make you any friends, Lufia. They'll alienate you from their lives and want nothing to do with you."  
  
"But they look at me weird when I try to talk to them. I just wanted to know what that one flower was called that was in the bushes by the river and the two girls turned their head away, as if I was not really there. And I had to be different . . . I had to be at home."  
  
It was the first I had heard about her life then. Her other home. Lufia never really liked to talk about that much. I had tried asking her about it once, but she just evaded the question by asking if I wanted to play tag with her. Stupidly, I did. If I had known the reason why she did that, I would have never asked.  
  
"At home no one liked us. They would throw things at me or they would hurt me. I never knew why and I knew I did not want it to happen again. They ended up killing my mom when I was little and when she had died, they told me that I had a father who lived somewhere near a castle and with some caves. So I went here to look for him.  
  
"But I'm afraid that if I learn to trust someone, they'll hurt me. It's how it was at home."  
  
As I heard that, I finally understood why Lufia was the way she was. She had her soft moments with me that did not last long. But she had them within her and it would take a lot of trust to sort through all those emotions of distrust. As I comprehended that, she was meant with an answer from Roman.  
  
"Well, we won't hurt you, Lufia. I'm sure of that. Devur won't let them."  
  
"Are . . . are you sure?" Her voice had been meek as she asked.  
  
I knew that I would not let anything happen to her. That much I promised myself. And as she had heard the same answer from Roman, I had finally taken off that first impression of her and had begun to really understand her.  
  
"It took me years to get her to be this close to me now," he finished. "But she is loyal, once you see through all those little jealous moments she has. She did that to me too, you know. That's the only reason I'm really sure of how she is."  
  
Jerin had stood up, looking at the two figures that were heading this way. "Well, it does help me understand why she is the way she is. And maybe you don't need to really discipline her. Maybe . . . maybe she just needs another friend. Maybe." As she said that, she realized that this was true. She had fought with her a long time and could feel the weariness in Lufia's heart as she fought back. It was something that, once was noticed, could not be ignored.  
  
"Perhaps. You know, she never had a friend that was a girl before. It would be different for her."  
  
As they were almost to them, Jerin looked to Devur and nodded. "Thanks," she told him. "I'm not so mad anymore."  
  
"Well, after that, you really can't be, now can you?" A yawn escaped his lips. "Wonder if they found the way out of this place yet. It's starting to really annoy me, being in this cave."  
  
"Hey!" The voice of their other male companion called. "We found a way out! If you want to get out, follow us!" His gelled green hair blew as he ran up to them, dragging a winded Lufia behind him. "We kind of been going around it for the last day!"  
  
"You don't need to yell, Aguro!" Jerin yelled at him. "We're not deaf. Well, I can't speak for you, but as for the rest of us . . ."  
  
Lufia blinked at her. "Still haven't gotten that dye off?"  
  
Jerin shrugged at that. "Well, it doesn't really bother me anymore, Lufia. I just want to find a way out of here."  
  
"Well, then come with us," she told her and started walking off, throwing Aguro's hand off hers. "And don't pull me with you next time, gel boy!"  
  
"Turnip head!" Aguro yelled back.  
  
And, as the four resumed their journey into the cave, Jerin had finally decided that Lufia was just like she was when she had been brought to Belgen for the first time. Weary of others and hard to earn their trust. But if Jerin had anything to say to that, she would get through that barrier like Devur did.  
  
After all, if he could do it, then surely she could too. 


End file.
